Collapsible crate.



A. MANUEL.

GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE. APPLICATION FILED JULY s, 1913.

1 ,1 1 5,706. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

wi tmeoow %@%9% mgwm THE NURRIS PEIERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHCL, WASHINGTON.

ALFRED MANUEL, OF ROSEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

Specification of Letters IPatent.

Application filed July 8, 1913.

Serial No. 777,899.

1 b all whom it may concern Be i known that I, ALFRED MANUEL, a citizenof the United States, residing at Roseville, in the county of Warren andState of Illinois, have invented new and useful improvements inCollapsible Grates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in crates and has particularapplication to collapsible or knock-down crates.

in carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide aknock-down crate wherein by means of a number of members spaced apartand capable of simultaneous swinging movement to overlap one another, asubstantially flat package will be provided when the crate is knockeddown. Furthermore, I am to provide a knock-down or collapsible cratewhich will embody in its construction among other features a pair ofbars spaced apart in parallelism, members pivotally connected to thebars at opposite points and spaced apart and arranged be tween suchbars, and a second pair of bars disposed at opposite sides of suchmembers and disposed in a plane intersecting that of the first membersand having pivotal connections with the members whereby the latter maybe swung into the plane of said first set of bars so that the crate maybe knocked down or collapsed and packed in a relatively small space, alatching device being employed to hold the component parts of the cratein crate-forming or knocked-down positions. It is also my purpose toprovide a knock-down crate of the class described which will embrace thedesired features of simplicity, efliciency and durability and which maybe manufactured and marketed at a minimum expense and readily andconveniently manipulated.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthin and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a perspective view of aknock-down crate constructed in accordance with the present invention,the same being shown in crate formation. Fig. 2 is a View in edgeelevation of the crate in knocked-down position. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional View through the crate in knocked-down position.

In the present instance, my improved knock-down crate comprises a pairof bars medium of pivot pins 3 1, l spaced apart in parallel relation,and a cries of ring-like members 2, 2 appropriately spaced apart betweenthe bars 1, l and eaclrpivotally connected to the bars at diametricallyopposite points through the passed through the bars and rings.

The numerals 4, 4 designate the bars of a second pair, such bars beingdisposed at op-' posite sides of the ring-like members and arranged in aplane intersecting that of the first pair of bars. Each bar 4 of thesecond set or pair is, in the present instance, equipped with a seriesof eye bolts 5 spaced apart along the length thereof and designed toreceive the ring-like members 2, 2, as clearly illustrated in thedrawing.

One of the bars of the first pair, adjacent to one end thereof, isequipped with a latch composed, in this case, of a strip of spring metal(3 having one end fastened to the respective bar through the medium of arivet 7 or other appropriate fastening device and the opposite endequipped with a substantially U-shaped strip 8 having the free ends ofthe opposite limbs thereof disposed in the path of the respective endring-like member 2 so that when the component parts of the crate are inthe position shown in Fig. l, accidental collapsing will be avoided. Thenumeral 9 designates a bag of some suitable material or other coveringarranged within the ring-like members 2, 2 and having the opposite endsthereof fastened to the end ring-like members, as at 10, such bag beingdesigned to receive the articles to be shipped or transported in thecrate.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the construction and mode of operation of my improvedcollapsible crate will be readily apparent. Assuming the parts to be inthe position shown in Fig. 1 and it is desired to knock down or collapsethe crate, the free end of the spring strip 6 of the latch is pulledaway from the respective bar 1 so that the free extremities of theopposite limbs of the U-shaped strip 8 are removed from the path of theend ring-like member 2. Pressure is now applied to the bars 4, 4 and thelatter moved in relatively opposite directions thereby swinging thering-like members 2,2 about their pivotal connections with the bars 1, lwith the effect to swing such members into the plane of the bars 1, 1.Thus, it will be seen that when the crate is Patented Nov. 3, 191 4.

knocked down or collapsed, a substantially fiat package is providedenabling a comparatively great number of crates to be shipped ortransported when knocked down.

lVhile I have herein shown and described the members 2, 2 as ring-likein form it will be understood that these members may be square or othershape. Furthermore I wish it to be understood that any other suitableform of latch may be employed while the pivotal connections between thevarious bars and the members may be varied or changed without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

A knock-down crate comprising a pair of bars spaced apart inparallelism, members pivoted between said bars at opposite points andspaced apart, means whereby said menibers may be swung into the plane ofsaid bars, a spring metal strip having one end secured to one of saidbars, and a substantially U'shaped strip fastened to the other' end ofsaid first strip and having the free extremities of the opposite limbsthereof disposed in the path of movement of: one of said members andadapted to engage the latter and lock the same against movement tofolded position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED MANUEL.

WVitnesses ARTHUR TAYLOR, FRANK STEWART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

